sweet distraction

So it’s close to 9pm on Sunday night….the night before I go back to work.  It’s nerve wrecking and exciting all at once.  This weekend was spent cooking, cooking, and more cooking….plus lots of Lucas cuddle time in between.  I’m going to miss the lazy mornings in pj’s and the silly games Lucas and I are known to play.  It’s going to be weird handing him over to someone else but it’s an important step, and needs to be done.  He’ll be okay, right?? 

In order to take my mind off of the inevitable tomorrow, I decided to bake.  I really don’t like baking so this was a good distraction.  It got my mind off of everything and gave us a sweet treat for after dinner. 

The recipe is an adaptation of Martha Stewart’s Apple and Blackberry Pie.  Instead of making a full pie, I made individual cobblers.  The topping was crispy and crumbly, while the filling was sweet and tart from the berries.  It was a yummy distraction, especially with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

I still can’t believe I’m back at work tomorrow. 

I hope I survive.

two peas in a pod

I don't know where the time has gone. It feels like just yesterday I was suffering through morning sickness and now here I am getting ready to put my little boy in daycare. It's a bitter sweet feeling. It's sad because I am going to miss spending all day with him, but I'm also a proud mama because I know that this will be a whole new chapter...he is going to love daycare - and I know they are going to love him there.

So, with this new chapter comes a whole new dynamic in our lives. Suddenly, I'm a working mom. I need to balance work with my responsibilities at home. How does everyone do it? I'm going back to work in about a week and I'm already stressing about what time I'll need to get the little guy up and running, how will I manage to make dinner every night, how will I juggle time with my son, how will we make the most of our short weekends, and the list goes on and on. BUT the good news is that I am up for the challenge!

One of the things on my to do list is to get organized about dinners. The last thing I want is to come home after a long day of work and slave in the kitchen, especially knowing that I will only have a small window of time to spend with Lucas. My strategy is to make simple yet healthy meals.  BUT in the meantime, I plan on cooking up a storm this week...sort of a way to relieve all my cooking desires.

Up first, a delicious Parmesan, Parsley, and Pea Risotto...

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 bunch chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Grana Padano Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat chicken stock in a saucepan.
2. In another medium saucepan, sauté the onions with the olive oil over medium high heat until softened.
3. Add garlic and Arborio rice and stir until the grains are well coated with oil and slightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
4. Add wine.
5. Stir until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
6. Begin adding the heated stock, one ladle-full at a time, allowing it to be absorbed by the rice, before adding more.
7. Continue adding stock, stirring frequently until the risotto is tender and creamy.
8. Season with salt and pepper and add peas, parsley and cheese. Stir well.

This was really good and just a small amount was sufficient. I highly suggest this recipe because although risotto seems challenging, it is quite simple to make with everyday ingredients. Simple, yet elegant.

Welcome back….we hope you’ll join us on this new journey.